Why hospitality?

Like many people who work in this brilliant, chaotic and ever-changing industry, I was not born with the immediate dream of becoming a hospitality professional.

There were many plans along the way, many of them running parallel to already sweating away in the backs of kitchens. Scrubbing pots, peeling onions and mopping floors in a small, family run catering company, that was what the start of the journey looked like for me.

Along the way I thought that I wanted to be an actor, a writer, an academic and a rockstar, to name a few of the endeavours that occupied my young mind. But when I wasn't reading textbooks, writing for theatre or pretending to play guitar (somewhat convincingly), it was the kitchen that kept a roof over my head and the water running.

And at first, that’s all it was, just a job to pay the bills.

It took years of double espressos on an empty stomach and lunches eaten on a milk crate in the loading dock (that’s right, the memes are true) before the love affair began.

Creative passion and gratification came first.

Making something out of nothing, mixing flavours, colours and textures into creations that would receive immediate and at times very honest feedback is still a thrill. Then came the exploration of knowledge, expanding the pallet and skill set so that I could broaden my horizons. Chasing accolades and points out of twenty in the Good Food Guide, the drive to be better, faster, stronger.

It took years longer to realise that a restaurant, cafe or bar is so much more than food on plates and drinks in glasses. And it will likely take the rest of my life to try and understand all of the moving pieces that make up a hospitality business.

After over two decades in the industry, the question I get asked the most is “do you still love what you do?” And when I answer yes, the follow up is always “why?”

For the longest time, I honestly had no idea what the answer to that really was. But if I was to be honest with myself, it really comes down to creating a warm, inviting and belonging experience for the customer. Be it in a venue, at an event, on the way to a flight or during a stay at a hospital, food and beverage service provides a comfort and familiarity in every environment and situation.

To me, that’s the real magic.

Much has been written on this topic by people far more qualified and equipped, but I think that it’s important to share what this incredible industry means to us, so it felt fitting to make it the subject on my first blog post. Ongoing posts will speak about the industry at large, its challenges and trends, the forever shifting landscape that it occupies. But all of that would feel quite false if I was unable to articulate just what makes it all feel so special after so many years.

Thank you for reading and have a good service.

AK